Château de Villacerf, former French château in Troyes
Château de Villacerf was a castle in the small town of Villacerf in the Grand Est region of France, built around 1659. The original architecture came from Louis Le Vau, while later rebuilding by Pierre Cottard made the building grander and more decorated to reflect the status of its owners.
The castle was designed in 1659 by Louis Le Vau for Louis Hesselin, a court official, and acquired in 1673 by Édouard Colbert, who had it rebuilt. During the French Revolution, the building was demolished after 1792 and its stones were reused for other structures.
The name Villacerf developed from the local history of the place. Originally known as Samblières, the village was later called Saint-Sépulchre after a relic from Jerusalem arrived here, before eventually taking the name Villacerf in the 1600s following a local noble family.
The castle no longer exists today, but the site is accessible and offers a view of the old park landscape with still-visible water channels and a small pond. The nearby village has informational signs and small cafes where you can learn more about the history.
The castle was designed by the renowned architect Louis Le Vau, who also worked on other royal building projects in France. The decorative sculptures were created by François Girardon, featuring scenes from mythology, with some busts still preserved in museums today.
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